steering PONTIAC G3 2010 User Guide

Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
If your vehicle has seat-mounted side impact airbags for
the driver and right front passenger, they are in the side
of the seatbacks closest to the door.
{WARNING:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the airbag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the steering
wheel hub or on or near any other airbag
covering.
Do not use seat accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted side impact
airbag.
2-61

Seat-mounted side impact airbags are not intended to
inflate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts, rollovers,
or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact airbag is
intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is
struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by what
the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For seat-mounted side
impact airbags, deployment is determined by the
location and severity of the side impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the
bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the
airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to
the door.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impact
airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly
over the occupant's upper body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant's motion is not toward
those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag Inflate?
on
page 2‑62for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
2-63

What Will You See After an Airbag
Inflates?
After the frontal and seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize the airbags inflated.
Some components of the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the airbag modules,
seeWhat Makes an Airbag Inflate? on page 2‑63.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not prevent the
driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able to
steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from
leaving the vehicle.
{WARNING:
When an airbag inflates, there may be dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle
should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but cannot get out
of the vehicle after an airbag inflates, then get (Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you
experience breathing problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors, turn the interior lamps on, turn on the hazard
warning flashers, and shut off the fuel system after the
airbags inflate. You can lock the doors, turn the interior
lamps off, and turn the hazard warning flashers off by
using the controls for those features.
{WARNING:
A crash severe enough to inflate the airbags may
have also damaged important functions in the
vehicle, such as the fuel system, brake and
steering systems, etc. Even if the vehicle appears
to be drivable after a moderate crash, there may
be concealed damage that could make it difficult
to safely operate the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt to restart the
engine after a crash has occurred.
2-64

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: Is there anything I might add to or change aboutthe vehicle that could keep the airbags from
working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle's
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts of
the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument panel,
front sensors, or airbag wiring can affect the
operation of the airbag system.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger position, which
includes sensors that are part of the passenger seat.
The passenger sensing system may not operate
properly if the original seat trim is replaced with
non-GM covers, upholstery or trim, or with GM
covers, upholstery or trim designed for a different
vehicle. Any object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the operation of the passenger sensing system. This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger airbag(s) or prevent
the passenger sensing system from properly turning
off the passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing
System on page 2‑65.
If you have any questions about this, you should
contact Customer Assistance before you modify
your vehicle. The phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
See Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 8‑2.
Q: Because I have a disability, I have to get my vehicle modified. How can I find out whether this
will affect my airbag system?
A: If you have questions, call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 8‑2.
In addition, your dealer/retailer and the service manual
have information about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic module and airbag
wiring.
2-71

Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has
four different positions.
{WARNING:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning the key
to LOCK/OFF will lock the steering column and
result in a loss of ability to steer the vehicle. This
could cause a collision. If you need to turn the
engine off while the vehicle is moving, turn the
key only to ACC/ACCESSORY. Do not push the
key in while the vehicle is moving.Notice:
Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
LOCK/OFF : This position locks the steering wheel,
ignition, shift lever and transmission. This is the only
position in which you can insert or remove the key.
The steering can bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs service.
ACC/ACCESSORY : This position operates some of
the electrical accessories, such as the radio, but not the
climate control system.
ON/RUN : This position can be used to operate the
electrical accessories, and to display some instrument
panel cluster warning and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the engine is running. If you
leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position with the engine off, the battery could be
drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle if the
battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
START : This is the position that starts the engine.
When the engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for driving. Do not turn the
key to START if the engine is running.
3-18

Outside Power Mirrors
The control is located on
the instrument panel, left
of the steering wheel.
The ignition must be turned to ON/RUN to adjust the
mirrors.
To adjust the mirrors: 1. Select the mirror you want to adjust by moving the selector switch to L for the driver side mirror
or R for the passenger side mirror.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control pad to move the mirror to the desired direction.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To fold,
push the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror
outward, to return to its original position.
Outside Convex Mirror
{WARNING:
A convex mirror can make things, like other
vehicles, look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you could
hit a vehicle on the right. Check the inside mirror
or glance over your shoulder before changing
lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex shaped. A convex
mirror's surface is curved so more can be seen from the
driver seat.
Outside Heated Mirrors
For vehicles with this feature:
<(Rear Window Defogger): Press to heat the
mirrors. See “Rear Window and Outside Mirror
Defogger” underClimate Control System
on page 4‑15for more information.
3-35

Section 4 Instrument Panel
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Change Engine Oil Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Highbeam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) IndicatorLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Fuel Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35 Audio System(s)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Radio with CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Using an MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
XM Radio Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Audio Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52
Fixed Mast Antenna (Hatchback) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Backglass Antenna (Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Multi-Band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-54
4-2

Instrument Panel Overview
Hazard Warning Flashers
The hazard warning flasher button is located to the right
of the climate control system on the sedan.
|Hazard Warning Flasher:Press to make the front
and rear turn signal lamps flash on and off. This warns
others that you are having trouble. Press the button
again to turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, the turn
signals will not work.
Horn
Press near or on the horn symbols on the steering
wheel pad to sound the horn.
Tilt Wheel
The tilt wheel lever is
located under the steering
column, slightly to the left.
To adjust the steering wheel: 1. Pull the lever down.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down into a comfortable position.
3. Pull the lever up to lock the wheel in place.
Do not adjust the tilt lever while driving.
4-3

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
G:Turn and Lane-Change Signals
3:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
P:Exterior Light Control
#: Fog Lamps, if equipped
Flash-to-Pass Feature.
Information for these features is on the pages following.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow on the
instrument panel cluster
will flash in the direction
of the turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
4-4

Windshield Wipers
Sedan shown
Hatchback shownThe lever is located on the right side of the steering
column. The ignition must be turned to ON/RUN to
operate the windshield wipers.
Move the lever to one of the following positions:
HI (High Speed) :
Fast wipes.
LO (Low Speed) : Slow wipes.
INT (Intermittent) : Move to this position for a delayed
wiping cycle. Turn the band on the windshield wiper
toward FAST or SLOW for a shorter or longer delay
between wipes. The wiper speed can only be adjusted
when the lever is in the INT position.
OFF : Turns the windshield wipers off.
Misting Function
Move the lever toward INT for a single wiping cycle.
Hold it there until the windshield wipers start; then let
go. The windshield wipers will stop after one wipe.
If more wipes are needed, hold the band toward INT
longer.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper blades before using
them. If frozen to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged wiper blades should be replaced.
SeeWindshield Wiper Blade Replacement
on
page 6‑49.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wipers. A circuit
breaker stops them until the motor cools.
4-6